Numbers 22:13

_AND HE SAID UNTO THEM, LODGE HERE THIS NIGHT, AND I WILL BRING YOU WORD AGAIN, AS THE LORD SHALL SPEAK UNTO ME: AND THE PRINCES OF MOAB ABODE WITH BALAAM._ Lodge here this night ... God usually revealed His will in visions and dreams; and Balaam's birth and residence in Mesopotamia, where the remains of patriarchal religion still lingered, account for his knowledge of the true God. His real character has long been a subject of discussion. Some, judging from his language, have thought him a saint; others, looking to his conduct, have described him as an irreligious charlatan; and a third class consider him a novice in the faith, who had a fear of God, but who had not acquired power over his passions (Hengstenberg). Verse 13. THE LORD REFUSETH TO GIVE ME LEAVE. This answer has an appearance of being good; but it studiously concealed the reason of the divine prohibition, and it intimated...

1-14 The king of Moab formed a plan to get the people of Israel cursed; that is, to set God against them, who had hitherto fought for them. He had a false notion, that if he could get some prophet to pray for evil upon them, and to pronounce a blessing upon himself and his forces, that then he should be able to deal with them. None had so great a reputation as Balaam; and Balak will employ him, though he send a great way for him. It is not known whether the Lord had ever spoken to Balaam, or by him, before this; though it is probable he had, and it is certain he did afterwards. Yet we have abundant proof that he lived and died a wicked man, an enemy to God and his people. And the curse shall not come upon us if there is not a cause, even though men utter it. To prevail with Balaam, they took the wages of unrighteousness, but God laid restraint upon Balaam, forbidding him to curse Israel...

EXPOSITION THE COMING OF BALAAM (Numbers 22:2). NUMBERS 22:2 BALAK THE SON OF ZIPPOR. The name Balak is connected with a word "to make waste," and "Zippor" is a small bird. Balak was, as is presently explained, the king of Moab at this time, but not the king from whom Sihon had wrested so much of his territory (Numbers 21:26). He seems to be mentioned by name on a papyrus in the British Museum (see Brugseh, ‘Geogr. Inschr.,' 2, page 32). The later Jews made him out to have been a Midianite, but this is nothing but the merest conjecture....

AND BALAAM ROSE UP IN THE MORNING,.... With the impression of the dream upon his mind, and of what had passed between God and him in it: AND SAID UNTO THE PRINCES OF BALAK; which shows what the elders were that were sent, of what honour and dignity, and may include both those of Moab and of Midian: GET YOU INTO YOUR LAND; as soon as you can; set forward on your journey, it is to no purpose to stay here: FOR THE LORD REFUSETH TO GIVE ME LEAVE TO GO WITH YOU; he only relates one part of the answer he had from the Lord, respecting his going with them, but says not a word of his being forbid to curse Israel, and of the reason given why he should not; had he reported this, in all probability it would have prevented any further application to him, and so any attempt to get this done, which Balaam seemed aware of; and therefore, by concealing this, hoped for fresh solicitations and entreatie...

III. EVENTS IN THE PLAIN OF MOAB FACING THE LAND 1. Balak and Balaam and Balaam's Parables CHAPTER 22 _ 1. Balak's message to Balaam (Numbers 22:1)_ 2. The journey of Balaam (Numbers 22:21) 3. Balaam with Balak (Numbers 22:36) The last section of the wilderness book begins with the story of Balak and Balaam. An enemy, the Gentile Balaam, has to speak the words of prophecy, predicting wonderful blessing and glory for the hosts of Israel. The advancing Israelites inspired terror and Balak (waster), the king of Moab, not willing to meet Israel in open battle, sent for Balaam (devourer of the people) to put his powerful magic spell upon Israel and curse them. Balaam, or

BALAK'S FIRST SUMMONS TO BALAAM, AND YAHWEH'S REFUSAL TO LET HIM GO. This comes mainly from J. But in Numbers 22:5, if the land of the children of his people (which can only refer to Balak and yields little sense) be corrected (after Sam., Syr., Vulg.) to the land of the children of Ammon, there is a discrepancy in the account of Balaam's home, which is diversely represented as (_a)_ Pethor on the River (_i.e._ Pituru on the Euphrates, mentioned in an inscription of Shalmaneser II), nearly a month's journey from Moab, and (_b)_ Ammon, only a few days-' journey distant. The discrepancy is explicable as due to a difference in the sources used: the first statement probably comes from E, the second from J. Balak's belief (Numbers 22:6) in the potency of words uttered in blessing or cursing ...

BALAAM... SAID. Note what he suppressed,...

Balak king of Moab being frightened by the near proximity of the Israelites sent for Balaam a famous soothsayer to curse them, offering him liberal payment. Balaam came but refused to utter any oracle but that which Jehovah revealed to him. _Zippor_ The word denotes -a little bird," the fem. of which is seen in Ẓippôrah, Moses" wife. The name may point to early totemistic beliefs (see Frazer, _Totemism_2, W. R. Smith, _Rel. Sem._2 124 ff.). _the Amorites_ Og, the king of Bashan, is not mentioned; see on Numbers 21:33-35....

B. GOD'S PROHIBITION vv. 7-14 TEXT Numbers 22:7. And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak. 8. And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the Lord shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam. 9. And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee? 10. And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying, 11. Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out. 12. And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed. 13. And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the prince

BALAAM The Israelites now enter upon the last stage of their journey to Canaan. They are within sight of the land of promise, being encamped at the northern end of the Dead Sea, near the mouth of the Jordan. Up to this point they have surmounted every obstacle and conquered the tribes on the east side of the river. But now, at the end of the journey, a graver danger faces them. Balak, king of Moab, finding that he cannot prevail against them with carnal weapons, has recourse to magical arts, hoping in this way to destroy them. He sends to the Euphrates for the famous magician Balaam to come and 'curse Israel.' As the sequel shows it is all in vain. Not even the powers of darkness can stop the victorious march of Jehovah's people. The whole incident is designed to show that Israel by the grace of God is proof, not only against the sword of the enemy, but also against the evil powers of th...